Welcome to The Home Equity Theft Reporter, a blog dedicated to informing the consumer public and the legal profession about Home Equity Theft issues. This blog will consist of information describing the various forms of Home Equity Theft and links to news reports & other informational sources from throughout the country about the victims of Home Equity Theft and what government authorities and others are doing about it.
Monday, May 07, 2012
Sale Leaseback Peddler Pinched On Multiple Larceny By False Pretense Charges In Alleged Racket Targeting Homeowners w/ Bad Credit, Facing Foreclosure
In South Easton, Massachusetts, WPRI-TV Channel 12 reports:
After ten months of investigating, Joshua Leventhal was arrested on ten counts of larceny over $250 by false pretense. Easton Police and Norton Police officers arrested 41-year-old Leventhal after executing a search warrant of his house.
Authorities say Leventhal would offer to purchase property from the victims and rent it to them on a rent-to-own basis - usually taking a $1,000 “commitment deposit" from the victims, police said. The victims were contacted through websites such as www.rent2ownconnect.com , www.hslhomes.com , and www.craigslist.com and lost between $1,000 and $8,000.
Investigators say Leventhal targeted people with bad credit or those who were losing their homes. He is accused of scamming people around the country. Police say they believe there are a large number of victims. The incident remains under investigation. If you believe you have been a victim or know someone who was involved, please contact Easton Police at 508-230-3322.
CBC News: Betrayal of Trust (A CBC investigation reveals how lawyers across Canada have misappropriated and mishandled clients money, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, or sometimes even charging vulnerable people top dollar for shoddy services)
Land Contract/Contract For Deed/Rent-To-Own Rackets
The New York Times: The Housing Trap (In the wake of the housing crisis, low-income families have turned to seller financing to buy homes but these deals can be a money trap)
Beware The Fine Print: Consumers Forced To Sign Away Their Rights To Use Court System
The NY Times: Arbitration Everywhere, Stacking the Deck of Justice(Part 1 in series examining how clauses buried in tens of millions of contracts have deprived Americans of one of their most fundamental constitutional rights: their day in court)
Foreclosure Mills' Abysmal Record In Complying With New NYS Foreclosure Requirements
Justice Deceived: How Large Foreclosure Firms Subvert State Regulations Protecting Homeowners
MFY Legal Services Report On Questionable Practices By Process Servers In Debt Collection Cases
Justice Disserved: A Preliminary Analysis of the Exceptionally
Low Appearance Rate by Defendants in Lawsuits Filed in the Civil Court of the City of New York
Mortgage Mess Redux: Robo-Signers Return (A Reuters investigation finds that many banks are still employing the controversial foreclosure practices that sparked a major outcry last year)
CNN Video: As Foreclosures Mount, Florida Court Turns To 'Rocket Docket'
The Wall Street Journal: A Florida Court's 'Rocket Docket' Blasts Through Foreclosure Cases (2 Questions, 15 Seconds, 45 Days to Get Out; 'What's to Talk About?' Says a Judge)
"Produce The Note" Strategy When Dealing With Missing Promissory Notes In Foreclosure Actions
ABC Video: Fighting Against Foreclosure (Some homeowners have found a new tactic to keep the banks at bay)
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